Airtime
the exhilarating feeling of floating out of your seat while riding a roller coaster
Amusement Park
an entertainment facility featuring rides, games, food, and sometimes shows
ERT
"Exclusive Ride Time," when a park shuts down a roller coaster or other ride to the general public and lets enthusiasts ride it. ERT is a benefit of some enthusiast groups including NAPHA.
Family Entertainment Center
A new generation of amusement facility that includes arcade games, miniature golf, kiddie play areas, and go-carts. Smaller versions are little more than large game rooms, while larger versions could be considered amusement parks with rides, food facilities, and elaborate miniature golf courses.
Flat Ride
A small spinning-type ride. Examples include Tilt-A-Whirls, Scramblers, and Himalayas.
Hyper Coaster
A roller coaster with at least one drop in excess of 200 feet
Inverted Coaster
A roller coaster in which the train travels beneath the track rather than above it
Inversion
Any track element on a roller coaster that turns riders upside down
Kiddieland
An amusement park or section of an amusement park that features rides and attractions geared to children under 12 years of age
Lift Hill
Typically the tallest part of a roller coaster and often the first hill, a lift hill is where the train is hauled to the top and released.
Multi-looper
A roller coaster with several inversions
NAPHA-Style Ride Time
Exclusive ride time during a NAPHA-hosted event. Well known for its uncrowded atmosphere allowing attendees to ride to their hearts' content!
Out and Back
Configuration of a roller coaster that is basically an elongated oval in which the track travels out to a turnaround and returns to the station
Spin n' Barf
another name for flat rides
Steel Coaster
A roller coaster with steel track. The support structure can be steel or wood.
Suspended Coaster
A roller coaster in which the trains are suspended beneath the track and swing freely from side-to-side. Not to be confused with an inverted roller coaster.
Theme Park
An amusement park in which the rides, attractions, shows and buildings revolve around a central theme or group of themes. Examples include the Disney and Universal parks.
Traditional Park
An amusement park that emphasizes rides and tends not to theme its attractions
Trolley Park
An amusement park that typically opened in the late 1800s or early 1900s that was built by a streetcar company as a way to generate business during the weekend
Twister
A roller coaster track configuration that is varied and full of turns. Often features several layers of track and several crossovers.
Wooden Coaster
A roller coaster with track made out of wood, it can have a wooden or steel support structure.